


The Arcana

by openyourrice



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 18th Century, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternative Universe - Mystic, Alternative Universe - The Arcana, Amnesia, Devils, Dorks in Love, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Read by Beta, Reincarnation, Secret sides of characters, Telepathy, elements of angst, little triangle, other characters to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28530741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/openyourrice/pseuds/openyourrice
Summary: His name is Dong Sicheng, and all he remembers is a Master named Yuta who taught him magic and this little shop.
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Nakamoto Yuta, Liu Yang Yang/Wong Kun Hang | Hendery/Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun, Liu Yang Yang/Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun
Kudos: 6





	1. I: The Magician

**Author's Note:**

> beta-read by [Mary_Rae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_Rae)
> 
> hope, you would like it, so - enjoy reading^_^

His name is Dong Sicheng, and he is a magical arts student under Yuta Nakamoto. He lives and studies in Saku city. The city is in the Southern Hemisphere, so it is always sunny and warm here. It is raised near the sea, so the seafood industry is greatly developed there, and many merchants come there selling souvenirs from their peninsula to citizens.

A dull evening fog blankets the street in a gentle, milky blanket. Sicheng loves this, so he hesitates for a moment at the window, checking the picture on the street, and suddenly draws the curtains. The male turns around and stares at himself in the mirror: he is quite tall when compared to other citizens of their city. He has raven hair, bulging but very cute ears; in the right ear it has three piercing earrings, and in the left ear - two. A raven-feather string hangs from his neck, and a blouse of the same dye with white buttons bares one of his shoulders, and he wears a thin white corset over his blouse, which emphasizes his slim waistline. He always wears black lace gloves to highlight the beauty of his gaunt hands, unless cleaning, and when swimming, he can take them off so as not to tear. Of the pants, he prefers narrowed to the bottom, and on his feet, he has black patent leather shoes.

It’s getting late, so it’s time to go downstairs and turn off the lights that illuminate the signboard of their little shop, show that they are closed.

Walking down the spiral staircase, Winwin discovers his master. His name is Nakamoto Yuta, and he is to a fortune-teller magician.

He is a slender young man with light-dark honey-colored skin, blonde hair, and a short black hedgehog on the sides, and deep, penetrating amber eyes. When he laughs, his plump lips stretched into a sweet, wide smile. Yuta loves to dress in a white shirt one size larger, and not to button up to four buttons, so it exposes his sharp collarbones. On his neck, there is a golden thin choker and a yellow crystal on a black string. He also has a habit of wearing a lavender-colored scarf, which a bit slips over his shoulders. He loves to wear skinny black jeans and comfortable shoes.

Sicheng knows nothing about his past. But he taught him everything related to magic. Yuta delicately collects the travel essentials in a briefcase while standing at the counter.

They have a wonderful shop: there is a counter near the entrance, which is an old mahogany table covered with glass, under which you can find many talismans, little notebooks papers with whisperings for good luck, or something like that. Behind the counter, there is a great two-meter locker with many shelves, where there are many colorful bottles with various liquids. These are potions or miraculous water that you need to sip on a special occasion, and then what you need will happen. This place is pleasantly illuminated by two street lamps that shine with a gentle orange light, and the moon which periodically glows through the window near the front door. Everywhere there are a lot of flowerpots, carpets, curtains in specific: they are near the entrance and serve as an entrance to the room where Nakamoto or Dong help people by laying out a deck of cards in front of them. The entire room and the decor elements in it are in yellow-black colors, so when the sun goes down, it is especially lovely to be here.

-I’ll miss you, - Yuta says with undisguised sadness when he looks at a student descending.

\- Do you need to go right at midnight? - Winwin wonders, remembering how thick the fog is outside.

\- Yes, on dead moonless midnight, - the master responds as he closes his backpack, and then looks up. - It’s time to start my journey. - his eyes glow in the hazy light of the bulbs above the counter.

\- Here… Take this. You will play while I travel. - He holds out, holding something in his hand.

" _Gift? How strange._ "

\- This is my deck of Tarot cards. - Yuta smiles, tenderly placing his cards into the student’s hand and covering it with his palm.

This is the last thing Dong expected to receive from him. These tarot cards are Yuta’s work that he made with his own hands, designing each one based on what he thinks each archetype best describes. Here, the deck that Sicheng is carrying is the Major Arcana for twenty-two cards, starting from zero. Each of them compares to a unique animal symbol that is associated with each of the major personalities in this fiction.

\- Do you think I’m ready, Master? - Sicheng asks awkwardly, exploring the deck in his palms as Nakamoto removes his hands.

\- Oh, you still call me like that ... - he looks away from the awkwardness, slightly blushing on his cheeks. - You know that I cannot answer for you. - Yuta returned his gaze to Winwin. - You have achieved incredible success, but you still doubt yourself... But what do you think - are you ready?

\- Why don’t we ask for the cards? - Dong asks, grinning.

\- Good idea! - Nakamoto nods approvingly with a smile on his face.

Sicheng goes to the sun curtains that cover the entrance to the divination room and disappears inside.

Several beams of starlight peek through the thin curtain. When it’s a sunny day outside, rays see through the stained-glass windows, which beautifully illuminate the room, filling it with paints. In the middle, there is a round table surrounded by soft pillows and covered with a beautiful translucent black tablecloth. And all this is illuminated by a single street lamp with a soft blue glow.

\- It’s been a little while since the last hour we practiced, - Yuta says, sitting down on a soft pillow in the lotus position.

\- Is it because I have improved my skills enough? - Dong smiles.

\- Perhaps, - the teacher chuckles. - You are truly gifted. I never doubted you for a minute. Well ... Let’s see your perfectly polished technique. - he narrows his eyes on the guy opposite, and they look like a fox.

Yuta always talks about how gifted and strong his student is ... This self-confidence is encouraging, but Sicheng cannot understand why.

When Dong finally sits down like Nakamoto, something slow and cold envelops his leg, rising upward. Winwin jumped slightly as the teacher noticed.

\- Huh? - asks Nakamoto. He bends down and gently unhooks that “something” from Dong’s leg and straightens up. A long yellow snake is already crawling along his arm. He shows and hides his tongue. This is _Johnny_ , a close friend of Yuta.

Nakamoto accepted it as a gift from another wizard as an egg. The teacher and the snake can communicate telepathically with each other, and they are very close and dear to each other. Sicheng knows nothing about her any more, all from the words of Yuta. But he hopes Johnny is happy to see him.

\- So, if we are all gathered here ... Let’s start, - the Japanese nods to his words.

Dong shuffles the cards. His gaze follows each card that disappears between his fingers and lays out three cards face down. Then, exhaling and clearing his thoughts of everything else, he turns over one of them, which was closer to Nakamoto. It depicts an owl with eyes as dark as coal and a crescent moon on its head.

\- _**The High Priestess...**_ \- Sicheng whispered. Yuta leans closer, waiting for an answer.

\- And what does she tell you? Do you hear something? - the teacher’s eyes are riveted to the guy opposite, carefully catching his every emotion.

When the cards speak, it is not in human language. But when thoughts are pure, the answer comes by itself. - _**You left him.**_

\- Really? - Nakamoto opened his eyes wide in surprise.

\- **_Yes, you pushed him away and muffled his voice_**. - Yuta frowns but does not answer, expecting further predictions. - **_He calls to you, but you do not hear him._** Teacher, if you continue to ignore him... - Winwin continues when he is interrupted by a knock on the door. This scares all three. " _Visitor? At a time like this?_ "

\- We forgot to put out the porch lantern again? - Nakamoto asks, calming down, smiling softly. - Nevermind. I cannot stay here any longer.

Nakamoto rises from his seat and grabs his backpack, ready to leave. Dong was very surprised - where will he go at such a time, and when he returns home ... But it is useless to ask - he never answers that.

\- Well ... You ... Take care of yourself, Winwin-nie, - master looks worried as if memorizing the face of his student. He has something to say, but he does not dare to do so. - Until we meet again. - he put on a large musketeer cap with a multi-colored feather fastened to a shawl and tied a scarf around his neck, which also covered half of his face. He silently opens the curtains and slips out through the back door.

Yuta barely closes the door behind him when the mysterious visitor knocks again. Impatient by the sounds. Winwin sighed and opened the doors.

A man goes inside, covering his face with a shawl on his head. He is wearing a thin shirt, unbuttoned by three top buttons, with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, a corset that is not tightly tightened at the waist, black loose classic trousers, and glittering patent leather shoes.

\- Forgive me for disturbing me at such a time ... But I will not survive another sleepless night, - says a pleasant voice. The elegant fabric falls off the head, revealing the visitor’s face.

The stranger has beautiful blond hair that hides his forehead, eyebrows that catch the eye first, dark eyes, a neat little nose, and lips. Winwin can see several gold chains in his hair, which adorn his head beautifully and show his high status.

Upon seeing him, Dong’s heart pounds somewhere in his throat...

" _The Count Xiaojun!_ " Here, at his little shop, in the middle of a dead night ...

\- Please, you must listen to what the cards have to say about my problem… - the Count continues.

\- You have come to the right place! - Winwin says happily, trying to hide his inner cry behind a pleasant smile.

The Count relaxes slightly and exhales, and his gaze runs around the shop.

\- They told me so, - he says. - Your reputation precedes you. Both beggars and nobles ... The inhabitants of this city whisper your name with trepidation. Although, in my dreams, I saw you differently, - the Count giggles in his honeyed voice, which charms the student. - Ah, never mind. I came up with an offer.

" _In his views?_ " Dong tenses a little, thinking about how this Count imagined him, but these thoughts he will return to later.

\- A proposal? - Sicheng asks, raising an eyebrow.

\- Are you nervous? Not worth it. I need very little from you. - De Jun smiles warmly, trying to show that he is here for peaceful purposes. - Come to the Palace and be my guest for a little while. You will, of course, have access to all the luxuries of the Palace. All I ask is to take your skills with you... and Arcana.

" _Arcana ... He must refer to the Tarot cards of Yuta._ "

\- I’ll warn the guards about your homestay tomorrow, - Xiao says. - But before that… I want to see your skills with my own eyes. Could you read the cards for me?

Under his powerful gaze, Winwin led the Count into a modest, dimly lit divination room.

De Jun sits right in front of Sicheng, his gaze moving around the room, studying until Dong grabs his attention by picking up the cards from the table. As he shuffled the deck, Xiao folds his hands in front of him and closes his eyes in anticipation. Winwin lays out three cards next to each other, face down. Turns over the one that is closer to him - **_the Magician._** It featured a purple-eyed fox wrapped in purple fire, and a red cloth draped over its shoulders. The Count opens his eyes and looks at the map, studying it.

\- How appropriate. And what did she keep for me?

Winwin’s mind is clear. The answer comes to him quickly.

\- **_You have a plan. Important to you._**

The Count was very surprised, like Yuta earlier. - And? Should I follow it? - his eyes stared into the guy, lit up with a spark of interest, and shone in the lamp's light that hung from above.

\- Yes. Now is the time to act. ** _Everything fell into place._**

\- Say no more. - interrupting, the Count brings up from his place and gives the map one last glance. He removes the curtain and finds himself again at the counter of the shop.

\- Your predictions are accurate. Almost the same as what I heard from others, - says Xiao, closing his eyes. - And more... You are the first who interested me in your style of prediction.

The Count walked to the front door, wrapping a scarf around his face and neck.

\- Ahem. - The Count chuckles and Winwin almost stumble over his own feet as he hurries to open the door in front of him. De Jun’s gaze was directed to the floor.

\- I’ll see you tomorrow, at the Palace. Enjoy your dreams, - he wished, and with these words he walked past Sicheng, hiding in the night street. Winwin hovers for a moment, staring at the departing figure until it becomes barely visible.

“ _What could The Count Saku want from me, a simple student?_ ” through the guy’s mind. “ _All this talk about my reputation... Maybe I was confused with Yuta?”_ Pondering aloud, Dong took a broom and was about to sweep the floor when he heard a harsh, distant voice.

\- It’s a strange time for the shop to work.

\- Who said that?! - Winwin twitched. His gaze ran through the shop, clinging to every detail, but he saw no one.

\- Behind you. - The voice called again, but deeper and somewhere quite close.

Turning around at the sound, the student saw a figure leaning against the door frame.

\- So this is the lair of the magician... But ... Who are you? - the stranger asked.

Winwin’s heart pounds like mad as the masked man stepped out of the shadows.

He was quite tall, about half a head taller than Dong, and a handsome guy dressed in a black double-breasted jacket with large golden buttons and silver trim on the edges. He wears a cloak of the same black color over it, and inside there was a red lining. On his hands were pulled black leather gloves that reached almost to the elbow with two buttons fastened. They wore loose classic pants on their legs, and two black belt tassels hung on the left side. The stranger’s face was hidden behind the plague doctor’s mask, but a shock of tousled white hair neatly falls over it.

\- What you need? - Winwin asks distractedly, putting down the cleaning tools and moving closer to get a better look at the man.

\- I asked first. And I would say if I were you, would answer. - a deep voice and the sound of unbuttoning the leather masks makes Sicheng flinch until the stranger pulls her off completely and throws her on the floor. - As I expected ... Shock, fear ... You know who I am, right? - the stranger asks with a grin.

Dong knows his face. His hair falls beautifully on the left side of his face, his black eyes are half-open, and the left one was hidden behind a black bandage. He had neatly protruding ears that were covered with a lot of piercings, and his plump lips parted in a sly smile.

He saw him on wanted posters that are posted all over the city. But Sicheng does not know his name.

\- Never mind. Quickly, answer. Where is the magician? - the stranger asks in an annoyed growling voice, eyebrows knitting on the bridge of his nose.

Winwin takes a deep breath to calm himself. It looks like he only wants information and nothing else.

\- Master Yuta is gone. I don’t know where. He never shares such information with me.

\- Your master. - the stranger rounds his eyes and looks at the guy in shock. - Ahem. I will not interfere with your personal affairs ... But if you do not know, and I do not know ... - he looks away, thinking, - Why don’t we ask your magic deck of cards? - the guest grins, exposing his fangs.

_ "Huh?" _

\- This is a divination room, isn't it? - He points with his eyes to the room with curtains.

Sicheng nods in shock, unsure of the intentions of this strange guest.

\- Then, after you - the stranger invites, pushing back the curtain, and with his hand pointing to Dong to go, with a wide smile on his face.

He sits down at the table right under the lamp that illuminates his already sharp features. - Come on, don't be shy, - he smiles.

\- I… I don’t know your name, - Sicheng says quietly.

\- My name? - the stranger catches the second heart attack.

\- To read the cards, I need to know your name, - Dong says calmly, stopping by the table.

\- Um... Ahem... Yes, of course. - the stranger dulls his eyes to the floor. - You can call me _Lucas_.

Hesitantly, Winwin sits down in his seat while Lucas watches his every move. The student lays out three cards on the table and reveals the first - the skull of a horse with a sickle. As soon as Sychen turns the card over, his brain starts thinking processes. - **_Death_**. - Dong says. The card whispers to him, but the stream of words was interrupted by the guest.

\- - Death ?! - he wonders. - _Death ?!_ \- the guest grins and bursts into rude laughter. Lucas turns away from the witch and the table and looks up. Death glanced at this villain but turned away immediately. She's not interested in a scoundrel like me. - he spat, getting to his feet, and leaves the room without even looking back. Shocked, Sicheng follows him.

\- Wait! This is not what Death means. It’s… - Dong begins, but Lucas interrupts him with a deep breath and a shake of his head.

\- No, no, no. My destiny has been decided. - he folded his arms over his chest. - But since you were very hospitable, I will let you be privy to this secret, - he grins, pulling a finger to his mouth and winking mysteriously, making Winwin a little nervous. - Your teacher is a good person. I can see it - he taught you his tricks. You could even say that he took care of you.

He lifted his mask off the floor, examining the red cheek where the eyes had been. - But when he comes back… Find me for your own sake. Don’t let him fool you, shopkeeper. Lucas narrowed his eyes slyly, giving Sicheng a heavy long look, and then put a mask on his face. - Well then. It’s late, and I don’t have time. - He threw on a black cloak and opened the front door, and then just as quickly closed it behind him, disappearing into the morning fog.


	2. II: The High Priestess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry if something wrong - English is not my native language, but I try to make it right🥺 🥺

Winwin has seen many oddities during his time with Yuta... But the events of this night are the strangest.

Deciding that it’s time to go to rest, Sicheng goes up the stairs and goes to bed, almost instantly falling asleep.

The sky around is cloudless, you can see a bright horizon line, where the sky meets the ground. They are among the lavender field. Yuta sits next to Dong on the back of a strange beast.

\- Master, where are we? - asks Sicheng, looking around.

Night clouds are slowly replacing the light, rusty sand colors. Ahead is a road of black stone, and along the sides, lavender is replaced by plants that Dong has never seen before.

\- Far enough from home, I suppose, - Nakamoto replies, not looking into the student’s eyes, preferring to study the road.

\- Far enough ... But for what? - Winwin’s heart is pounding, he hates not to understand.

\- For answers. To avoid doubts. I will need them soon, - Yuta whispers, straightening the slipped shawl from his face. - _A storm is coming_. - he looks into the distance, and his voice sounds very mysterious.

Dong tries to tense up to see where the path leads, but he is rapidly changing before our eyes: just that he was straight but when the guy blinked, they were already in the other direction.

\- Soon there will be a crossroads, - Master unexpectedly called himself again.

\- How soon? - Winwin asks quietly, looking for him in the distance.

\- It depends on which of these paths you choose, - Yuta says, upset. His hands almost reached out to the hands of the student, but suddenly stopped halfway.

The sand around them rises because of a slight wind, reaching to the heavens, and when the wind dies down, a carpet of stars of different sizes and brightness unfolds in the sky. A velvet night surrounds them. - Now, Winwin-nie... Rest. - the guy hears the gentle, distant voice of Master, falling back into dreams.

When he wakes up, the light of the rising sun tries to break through the dusty windows. Winwin spends about an hour and a half preparing the necessary things, and then notices bright sunlight on the wall and shows various animals, showing what is so rarely seen - a smile.

He needs to go to meet the Count in the palace and accept an incomprehensible offer. On the one hand, he is scared, but on the other, he who does not take risks does not drink champagne ...

Sicheng picks up a compass from the counter and hurries to go outside, closing the heavy front door behind him with a backpack on his back. After the events of last night, he closes the door with all three keyholes. Having turned the last key in the lock, he presses his right palm against the door and whispers a spell so that the door does not open to anyone except the owner. White light emerged from his hand and penetrated the wooden door, leaving only a haze behind. Dong was about to leave when the hairs on the back of his neck rose in anticipation of danger. Someone ... Someone behind him, judging by the shadow that appeared on the door. The shadow is human but very huge. Sicheng turned sharply, pressing his back against the door, studying the stranger.

The man looks quite mysterious. He has tanned skin, tousled, slightly long red hair, and brown eyes. He was wearing a tattered animal hide, black pants, and a large spiked choker with a piece of chain attached to it, which had been chewed or broken by forceps. His chest was all scratched and scarred, and the body of the stranger was like a mountain of muscles.

The man looked with a pure, penetrating, and deep gaze. Straight to the Apprentice. The stranger was standing right halfway between the apprentice and the road to the Palace, and Winwin simply would not have squeezed between him and the house.

\- Excuse me, could you step back a bit? - Dong asks in a broken voice since the man looks intimidating to him. The stranger’s eyes met Winwin’s, and he seemed to have forgotten how to blink. For a minute they looked at each other so that what was going on in this man’s head is unknown, but Dong’s stomach digest itself out of fear; his heart drummed in the chest, trying to break it and jump out.

The hefty body sighed, and with lowered eyes, moved away. Sicheng hears a heavy chain ringing around his neck, hitting his chest. The apprentice raised his shoulders, twitching his head, and starts his journey to the Palace, which has begun so restlessly.

But suddenly the voice of the stranger is heard as if a thousand thunderstorms are striking at the same time. - **_He’ll be back, unexpectedly. He’ll offer you a deal when you need it most. Run from this. Or you will fall into his clutches ... Like all of us._** \- says the stranger, closing his eyes, but Dong still feels that his eyes are in the back of the student. And then there is the noise of ringing chains, and after a couple of seconds - silence.

Winwin examines the foggy area around... He walked out the threshold of the shop and then... _Wasn’t there anyone just now?_ "

Sicheng shakes his head, trying to forget these events. He has no time for this: the Count is waiting for him. Taking a deep breath, he follows the compass needle in small steps along the paved road to the market.

It’s still early enough that all the stalls around are just waking up. Everyone around is making noise, discussing news, exchanging goods, laughing. A voice that Dong recognizes from a thousand suddenly breaks through the ocean of noise, calling out to him.

\- Sicheng-a! Have you already had breakfast? - Asked his familiar baker Ten. - I have for you your favourite pumpkin bread, just from the oven! Cooldown soon! Come, sit down, let’s talk for a minute!

Winwin breathed air through his lungs, and his stomach hummed with the richness of the aroma. The mind says that it needs to observe the time - he doesn’t enjoy being expected. But energy is important for strength so it can reach. This body struggle lasts about a minute.

Chittapon’s swarthy face lights up with a bright smile as Sicheng comes up to him. They hug, and the baker leads the guy to a seat with comfortable pillows, and a warm, aromatic scent envelops Dong’s head. Since the guy is sitting near the wall, Ten hands him a hot cup of tea.

\- Where is Yuta? Tells the fate? - the baker laughs. Winwin sips a little hot mint tea.

\- He’s on a journey again, - sighs Dong.

\- Oh, where did he go this time?

The student simply shrugged, and Ten gave him a blank look. - He didn’t tell you?

Sicheng lowered his gaze as he watched the steam from the cup swirl and disappear. - He’s acting… strange. 

The baker sighed, placing his hands on his chest. - So, he went on a mystical journey... However, nothing new. But where is _your_ mysterious journey, if I can find out?

Winwin nodded his head and, having sipped some tea, said, - To the Count.

\- You know, all morning everyone is whispering about one thing! They say the Count’s convoy entered the neighborhood at dawn. - Chittapon says, giving the guy a knowing look and sharing gossip. But Dong tries to get it off-topic and smiles.

\- Maybe it’s time to check how the bread is there?

The baker just claps his tongue at this. - Uh, you can't loosen your tongue. What you, what Yuta ... But I understood you. - Ten got up from his pillow and walked to the stove. - Here, they are ready to go on a journey with you. Chittapon smiles, packing them nicely to keep them warm.

Sicheng left the money on the table and emptied a cup of already cooled tea in a few sips.

\- Now, you can go! Don’t keep the Count waiting! - he waves to the student in the back, smiling at him.

Dong went behind the wall next to Ten’s bakery and climbed the stairs. But all the way he felt a studying gaze on him. Winwin looked back and looked at the fortune-telling counter in the corner.

What nostalgia... Once upon a time, Yuta also worked in this.

While Sicheng was hovering in his thoughts, someone came out of the counter above, saying, - The numbers for good luck - check. Okay, now - vegetables. - Dong didn’t notice him, so they bumped into each other.

" _OH!_ "

The impact causes Winwin to stumble, balancing on the edge of the step. The guy he ran into dropped a basket of tangerines, which scattered on the floor, and slid down the stairs.

\- Oh, well, perfect. As if I have no more business and I am in no hurry ... - muttered the stranger, rolling his eyes.

Sicheng put his backpack on the floor, lifted the basket, and collected tangerines. He practically crawled on the floor collecting them from all corners, where they just did not hide. When he collected them all, he returned to the stranger, whose eyes shone with happiness.

\- Oh, thank you! It’s so nice of you to help me, - the stranger smiles with a sweet smile, folding his hands and bowing.

The disciple examined the tangerines: some of them were broken. But, probably, this is not fatal.

\- I can’t stop thanking you! - babbles the stranger to Winwin, who has reddened the tips of his ears. The guy extended his hand to Dong, which was smaller than the hand of the Magician, but it was so childishly cute that Sicheng smiled.

\- Maybe I shouldn’t do it, but… - the stranger continues, wiping on the hem of his clothes and handing three tangerines to Sicheng.

Winwin happily accepted them, thanking them, and the stranger gave him another warm smile.

\- Take care of yourself, okay? See you ... - the look of the stranger suddenly looked around the guy what made Dong a little scared. - Wait wait. I know you!

" _Bruh…_ "

Sicheng was at a loss because this is the first time he sees a stranger, so he has no idea how he knows about him.

\- You are Sicheng, The Magician! Count De Jun said that we are waiting for you as a guest of our Palace!

" _We?_ "

\- You can call me Kunhang or just Hendery. I am the Count’s chief servant and trusted person.

Well, that’s how the puzzles take shape. Tangerines for the Palace. And the name Hendery is somewhere in the guy’s head. Dong thinks he heard about him somewhere, seemingly out of gossip.

\- How lucky you are! - Hendery rips out of his thoughts. - Come on, I’ll show you a quick way to the Palace.

As the sun was approaching the horizon, Hendery and Sicheng climbed the stairs, thinking about the end. The further they go, the fewer travelers they meet on the way. By the time they reached the summit, they were walking straight along the trampled road. Kunhang looks very energetic but stops to give some rest to the unaccustomed Winwin.

\- Sicheng-ah ... I’m so glad you’re going to the Palace. The count needs help. - Hendery says his last words quietly, looking down. - But you seem good, so I hope you can help! - he winks, becoming joyful back.

By the time they approach the Palace, it has already noticeably darkened, and they stop in front of the forged two-meter gate. Behind them is a luxurious Palace, on the tops of which you can see scattered sparkles that sparkle in the moon's light. Two guards stand on the other side of the gate, staring at the unfamiliar Dong from under their oversized helmets. But their disbelief disappears as soon as they see Hendery, who appears from the side.

\- Ludovico, Barnasaurus, this is Sicheng. He will be with us as a welcome guest! Sicheng, this is Ludovico and Barnasaurus. The guards nodded in greeting, and Winwin nodded back, relaxing. Together, the two guards opened the heavy forged gate to the Palace.

\- After you, Sicheng-a. - Hendery smiles, inviting him to come in.

The heavy gate has closed behind them, and there is no turning back. Hendery tugs at Winwin’s hand, taking big steps. An eel floats at the bottom of the fountain, glowing like a bloodless ghost. Kunhang pulls the student by the hand, guiding him to the edge of the bridge.

\- Come on, we can’t keep the Count waiting, - he chides, but with a smile.

As soon as they reached the enormous front doors, anxiety inside rose like a soap bubble, everything boiled inside. “Was it a deliberate decision? What awaits me behind these doors, so far from home? It’s too late to back up.”

\- Here we are! - Hendery waves his fist and knocks on the door three times. As soon as the echo from the latter disappears, the doors open.


	3. III: The Emperor

Inside the Palace, the floor, walls, and ceilings shone with purity and the amount of light. A servant with a white feather in a hat approached the guy and bowed. Then he smiled at Winwin and winked at Hendery.

\- Did we arrive on time? - addressed to Dery.

\- Late! The dinner was held alone. The Count is in the most unhappy mood... - the courtier answered sadly. Hendery bit his lip and handed the basket of tangerines to the servant.

\- Ask the sommelier to bring a bottle of strawberry Fragolino Fiorelli, - he ordered. The servant nods and disappears behind one column that holds the ceiling; Winwin thinks they are close to each other, that there is nowhere to go.

\- Bad of course... Then I will take you straight to the hall where the Count is eating. - Hendery said, upset.

" _Breakfast room?_ _Will I eat with the Count?_ "

\- What? Just don’t think that we wouldn’t have fed you, - Dery smiles from afar, calling the guy to follow him. Sicheng catches up with the guy only at the end of a long corridor when the second is not hiding around the corner.

After a while, they find themselves at large mahogany doors. Kunhang opened the doors, inviting Winwin to come inside.

The smell of wealth hovered in the open unfamiliar and teased the soul. Everything around is in pleasant green tones, the entire room is hung with paintings, there are lighted candles on the table, silk fabric hangs from the chandeliers, which makes the room more comfortable.

\- Ah, Sicheng! I welcome you to the Palace! - The Count says happily, rising from his seat. - You were a little late for dinner, I was so worried ... - he says, looking away. De Jun sits down, bringing the glass to his lips, and sips the liquid.

Dery leads Dong to a spot near His Lordship, while another servant cleans up what must have been Sicheng’s dinner.

\- I already thought that you rejected my invitation, but ... Most likely you are simply not used to such long journeys, are you? - Xiao asks. - You look exhausted. Why? I can see from my place how your cheeks have sunk inward. - The Count lowered his glass and Hendery was right there next to him with a bottle of Fragolino Fiorelli ordered earlier in a shiny package.

\- Ah, Hendery ... How thoughtful of you. - Dejun smiles.

\- It’s my pleasure to please you, Count, - Kunhang said, bowing and smiling brightly, and then poured a drink into both glasses.

\- Is this the champagne that I like? Nice choice, Dery. - wrinkles gather in the corners of His Majesty’s eyes, and a smile blooms on his face, full of love for his servant.

Winwin twirls his glass in his hands, examining the liquid, and drinks to avoid the awkward moment. Throwing his head, he looks around and suddenly freezes, riveting his eyes to the strange picture in front of him.

This is a picture of a meal, where many figures with various heads of animals are sitting at the table. The table is filled with birds and fruits, and the head of the table is a character with a goat’s head. The sun’s rays come from his head, and his red eyes look strikingly realistic.

\- Do you like the picture, Sicheng-ah? - the Count’s voice is suddenly heard.

\- No. - the student calmly answers. The Count lowered his glass and looked at him blankly.

\- No? My husband idolized this picture. This is one of his favorites. Although, I think that our tastes were different, and its taste was also strange.

De Jun’s husband, Count Yanyang... More precisely, _the late Count Yanyang._

\- He - with a goat’s head in the middle, of course. As a breadwinner, - continues Xiao, - he made  people take food from his palm, well, straight, like in a picture. All that he offered - people ate. They worshiped him. My husband especially loved the annual masquerade he was putting on. - The Count lowered his glass and propped his cheeks on his fists.

\- Have you ever been to a masquerade, Sicheng-ah? - Dejun asked. - The entire city came to life during the masquerade. Revelry seized the hearts of young and old. All for the sake of celebrating Yanyang’s birthday. And what a holiday began when he opened the gates to the Palace in front of all the inhabitants ... - he sighed, watching the drink in the glass sparkle from the bubbles and play from the light falling on him from above. - Such a warm memory for many, and so sadly it all ended. It’s just horror for the guests to find their beloved count murdered so harshly on the night of the last masquerade. June raises her eyebrows and wrinkles her nose.

The servants lower their eyes, and Winwin looks back at the painting.

\- My poor husband ... Burned alive in his bed ... On the day of his birthday. What did he do to make someone hate him so much? Such a scene ... There were practically no more guests in the Palace.

Sicheng looks away from the picture, meeting the eyes of the Count’s shining eyes, who continued, - But now you are here ...

“ _Now I’m here and ...? He said it with such seriousness, with such faith ..._ ”

\- Count, what does all this story of yours have to do with me?

\- Sicheng-ah, the masquerade is _exactly_ why I called you here. This year I am going to spend it.

Dong stared at him, as did all the servants in the room. “ _What? How? Why?..._ ”

\- Celebrations in honor of Yanyang will be more fanatical ... Oh, sorry. Fantastic than ever. There is only one thing to finish. The murderer of her husband still walks free. Dr. Wong Yukhei or Lucas is my Yanyang’s former doctor.

Sicheng listened to the Count quietly, but this name sent a shiver down his spine. Dr. Wong Yukhei or Lucas - that’s what the name was on the poster with the title “wanted” ... Now he found out who then, wearing a plague doctor’s mask, broke into his little shop.

\- Dr. Lucas confessed to the crime when we caught him. All that remains is to resolve this issue, - Xiao says, clenching his hands into fists. - Execution by hanging. He slammed his fist on the table, closing his eyes and scaring everyone in the room.

Hendery’s face froze in horror, and champagne spilled onto his feet, already dripping down the floor.

\- Hendery? - the Count asked, watching one servant.

\- F-forgive me, Your Majesty. Slippery hands ... - Kunhang apologizes with horror in his eyes and bows low.

\- You’re forgiven, - De Jun says in a soft voice. Two servants rush to Dery’s aid, wiping the rest of the drink off the floor. - That’s what you are for, Sicheng-ah. Dr. Lucas is highly desirable and elusive. But you have an excellent reputation. Supposedly, you even surpassed your Master Yuta, - Jun grins. - I see the future in a dream, whether I like it, - says the Count excitedly, - And this is how I knew that you will be one of those who will find Doctor Lucas.

\- And if we find it? - Winwin interrupts.

The Count lowers his glass.

\- _When_ we find him, we will bring him to the people, so that everyone can see this long-awaited punishment. And let’s start the celebration ... And the Doctor will die on the gallows for his terrible crime. - Xiao smiles.

The Count got up, and instinctively, Dong too.

\- Hendery, - De Jun says, - show Sicheng the guest room. I believe he had a lot of thoughts after meeting today.

\- Oh y-yes, of course. - worships the lost and sad Kunhang. He takes Sicheng’s hand and they leave the hall.

Hendery is very silent as he leads the Count. After a few turns, they come out onto an empty staircase hidden in the shadows. A stiff wind blows from the top floor, unpleasantly touching the skin. _It’s cold, and it smells like ash_. On the bottom step, two large dogs with long muzzles curled up into a ball. Fathomless eyes fixed on Dong and they slowly rose to their feet. Even though they look like they might attack at any moment, he didn’t feel malice. Winwin held out his hands, and they sniffed them. Dog breath tickled his skin, and then they wagged their tails slowly.

\- It is surprising! They never behaved like this to strangers, - Hendery wonders. - They, of course, we’re trained to be friendly, but ... I have never seen such behavior with someone unfamiliar.

The dogs’ thin muzzles poke Sicheng in the side; they further investigate the guy. Satisfied, they move away from the student and look at him expectantly. On a whim, Dong reaches out his hand to stroke them.

\- If I were in your place - I would not have dared to do that! - Dery warns.

The dogs stepped back. Roofing felts from Hendery’s words, or they didn’t like the hand.

\- Sorry. They are a little unpredictable. - says Kunhang. - Seem to be. They liked you. But I’d rather hold my hands, - Hang panics.

The dogs obediently return to their place, almost merging with the marble on the stairs.

\- Oh. No wonder they are. They weren’t given their buns! Hendery exclaims.

He looks nervously at Winwin and the two dogs, dead.

\- Wait here. Sicheng-ah. And I would suggest keeping your distance from them. I’ll be right back with these buns. - Hendery mutters under his breath, hiding behind the columns, and Dong is left alone with the dogs.

He feels like one of them sniffs his side again. When Sichegn lowers his gaze to him, he steps back and looks at the guy. Then the other also sniffs the guy’s other side, sniffing at his scent. Dong spins around and squats innocently at the dogs. When Winwin looked into the blood-red eye of the dog, a feeling of uneasiness ran through his body like a feverish wave.

\- **_The guest?_** \- an unknown voice responded.

Dong stepped back, glancing down the hallway. The voice ... It sounded from the top floor. He looked around the corridor again - there was no one here, it was definitely from above. Sicheng almost jumps up when he feels something tugging at his clothes. Dogs. Their teeth are hidden in his clothes, and they pull the guy towards the stairs up. He stumbles but steps the first couple of steps, and the dogs begin to wag their tails happily.

\- Hey! - Dong tries to free his clothes from the teeth of the dogs, but they stubbornly pull him up. They only release his clothes when they are on top of the floor.

The floor and walls are cold and the air smells of ash. Sicheng’s head is spinning and he gasps for air heavily and greedily. Though his heart is pounding, he summons a faint beam of light from his palm with magic. Dong looks back at the dogs, but they are gone. Ahead is the ajar door. And inside there is a deep darkness that absorbs weak rays of light.

The magic in his palms shrinks to a quivering glow as he enters the room.

Unlike the hall, it is warm here. Thick air has a strong, pungent taste. The room is similar in style to a dining room. A heavy four-poster bed stretched out to the middle of the room. The apprentice walks past extravagant armor, a marble writing table with a white peacock feather ... Everything is covered in ash.

\- Its light illuminates the painting on the wall, which is twice the size of Sicheng himself. A dim light stretches up the canvas. Although it is difficult to see what is on it, Dong has no doubts about the plot. Count Yanyang.

" _He looks younger than I thought, or the portrait is old_."

Or the artist was pleasing his vanity. The red of his coat is the cardinal shade of the painting in the dining room. The golden hand - tales of alchemy ... The fur that hangs from his haughty shoulders looks incredibly beautiful, and ...

\- **_Come on. Touch.._** \- says a voice from nowhere and something inanimate from the thick, scorching air pushed Sicheng’s hand towards the picture. But Dong felt nothing out of the ordinary except ash and canvas. Something chuckles in his head, and a haze unfolds over his mind.

\- **_Nothing compares to reality ... To see, to feel ..._ **\- He hears the same voice. - **_Such a pleasant opportunity ..._**

Heat, like an ember, spreads down his neck. The magic in his palm reacts; the light travels down his fingers and his wrist.

**\- Ah ...**

The strange sensations subside, and the voice becomes quieter, even more melancholy.

\- **_Yes, your energy ... Oh, this is what I need._** \- the haze disappears from his mind as soon as he steps away from the portrait. Something soft bumps into his knees and he falls through the dusty velvet piles onto the massive bed. Vast clouds of ash swirl around him as he slams his back against the bedspreads. This is Count Yanyang’s bed ... The murdered man is right here. _Incinerated._ And this ash that the guy has in his eyes, nose, mouth ... This is all that remains of him.

Sicheng covers his mouth with his hand, suppressing a cry, and tries to rise.

\- **_Leaving so early? You are not interesting ..._** \- the voice answers.

This voice ... echoes from every corner of the room, and his mind.

\- Who are you? - Winwin asks timidly. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped, and his breathing can be seen as a small vapor from his mouth. Sicheng hears a stirring in the ash purchase, and then a faint cry. Not at all human.

\- _**Nobody ... Nobody at all ... From the word at all ...**_ \- An invisible breeze passes by Sicheng, shaking the canopy trim above the bed, - **_This is a sample of a man ... That he was someone ..._** \- the voice fades, and the room becomes quiet again.

Winwin gets to his feet and runs through the door. He runs through the corridor, looking for a staircase hidden in the dark to get out of here. The portraits on the walls look at the running Apprentice with cold, aristocratic eyes.

\- **_Come back .. Come back ..._** \- repeats somewhere in the distance a voice.

Contrary to common sense, Dong stops and turns around. And he notices for a moment. A silhouette against the background of tall windows covered with smoke ... Claws, horns, and hooves, like onyx. The white face of a goat with red eyes that are chained to the Apprentice. As soon as Sicheng blinked, the figure disappeared. He only hears footsteps towards the door, then its creak and then ... silence.

By that time, Dong had already gone down to the floor below; he was disoriented as Hendery looked for him behind all the pillars.

\- Here you are! - He shouted anxiously, throwing himself into his arms, and then noticed that Sicheng was covered with ash. - What... Why are you covered in ash? What these mean dogs have done to you. - He takes out a plain white handkerchief and hands it to Winwin. All a guy is capable of now is to absentmindedly bow in thanksgiving and shake off the dust with this handkerchief.

Dong’s brain is now clouded, he struggles to remember the shadow he saw, the whisper he heard ...

Kunhang gently blows the dust off the student’s eyebrow, helping him blow everything off himself.

\- You know, I’ll leave these buns right here. Let me take you to your room, - Hendery says, worried.

Sicheng follows the servant until he arrives in the room. Thank goodness it’s not too far. Kunhang opens the doors wide and invites you inside.

It’s very cozy inside. A similar canopy bed, but green, with large ceiling-to-floor windows. On the side is a coffee table with soft sofas and an extensive wardrobe. The room is not overloaded with everything, but it has everything you need.

\- This will be your chambers, Sicheng-ah, - he smiles. - You can take advantage of all the amenities that are only available. Breakfast at sunrise ... I’ll wake you up, - Hendery says as if making a note in his mind.

Dong’s fatigue must be very visible. He drops the briefcase to the floor. Looking at the flowing lines before his eyes, he flinches with fatigue.

\- You look ready to fall and fall asleep, so I’m leaving you, - Hendery bows, and already standing in the doorway adds, - Sleep well, Sicheng-ah, - in a calm voice and gently closes the door behind him.

Doon climbs into bed with plush sheets and a mattress so comfortable that he feels weightless lying on it. His heart pounds in a frantic rhythm, and under the steps of Kunhang’s receding steps, Sicheng falls asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The painting Sicheng saw in the dining room is a redrawn "The Last Supper" by Leonard Da Vinci.


End file.
